Circuit Board

1st Circuit

David Husband1st Circuit GovernorHarvard Law School

“I would ask the president to address the issue of crumbling and dilapidated infrastructure. In a time of heavy unemployment, particularly in the construction industry, and with our key infrastructure rapidly aging, it seems like two goods could be served simultaneously––addressing unemployment and updating vital public services.”

2nd Circuit

Shantal D. Sparks2nd Circuit GovernorNew York Law School

“Student loan debt is of growing concern––especially for those of us seeking advanced degrees. I’d like the president to take a closer look at the federal student lending program and to urge private higher-education institutions to reconsider their current business model. It may be time for our government to cap the amount of federal loan funds that these private institutions receive.”

3rd Circuit

James Barlow3rd Circuit GovernorEarle Mack School of Law at Drexel University

“I would urge the president to continue efforts to crack down on predatory lending in the United States. Whether we are talking about payday lending, mortgage origination, or even some private student loans, way too many lenders are found taking advantage of their financially strained debtors. Predatory lending should not be tolerated.”

Dorcas AdekunleDivision DelegateEarle Mack School of Law at Drexel University

“I would urge the president to establish a task force to examine the disparity between the cost of public law school and private law school and provide recommendations to find equilibrium between the two in a greater effort to bring down law school debt.”

4th CircuitBrendan Patrick Manning4th Circuit GovernorCharlotte School of Law

“I would ask the president to make an executive order making an individual’s right to marry based upon that individual’s right to fall in love, be miserable in marriage, and get divorced; not upon that individual’s sex.”

James C. ManningDivision DelegateUniversity of Virginia School of Law

“I would encourage the president to examine the current level of national debt and to work with Congress to implement an aggressive long-term budget strategy designed to produce regular surpluses.”

5th CircuitJamila Young5th Circuit GovernorFlorida A&M University College of Law

“I’d ask the president to make sure the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) stays around and to urge all states to enact the new Medicare requirements.”

Raychelle A. TasherVice ChairFlorida A&M University College of Law

“I would ask the president to take a look at the mortgage foreclosure crisis and what can be done to increase homeownership the right way.”

Danielle BaronDivision DelegateBarry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law

“I would like to see the president take on a new education initiative. While educational expenditures have continued to steadily increase, SAT scores are plummeting. The OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] has ranked the United States 14th out of 34 OECD countries for reading skills, 17th for science, and a below-average rank of 25th for mathematics.”

Eileen M. LauxStudent EditorFlorida Coastal School of Law

“I would urge the president to take a look at the unemployment issues in the United States. People are struggling to survive in this country when they are unable to obtain jobs. The economic recovery can improve with a better employment rate.”

“I would ask the president to urge sweeping tax reforms. For businesses to grow and people to be productive, taxes must be straightforward, equitable, and lower. In doing so, bureaucracy can be limited and the market can flourish.”

7th Circuit

Katrina Castillo7th Circuit GovernorValparaiso University School of Law

“I would urge the president to look at rebuilding the relationships that have become strained in the past couple of years. The issues that are facing our country are not going to be solved without the help of our allies, and as we all know, relationships are important.”

Bryan RogersABA Board of Governors RepresentativeValparaiso University School of Law

“Considering the economic turmoil, I would urge the president to evaluate the tax code and close the gaping loopholes that plague collection efforts. Statistics show that approximately half of Americans don’t pay any income tax and countless other individuals are forced to pay amounts based on the inequities between tax brackets.”

8th Circuit

Andrew Polzin8th Circuit GovernorUniversity of South Dakota School of Law

“More effective border security. New strategies are necessary to stem smuggling and trafficking into the United States. Simply increasing the budget failed to attain desirable results.”

Steven Cometa9th Circuit GovernorChapman University School of Law

“I would urge the president to place strict limits on tuition increases for any university, public or private.”

10th Circuit

Jordan Lee Haygood10th Circuit GovernorOklahoma City University School of Law

“I would ask the president to look at removing the Affordable Care Act because of the negative implications it has on individual liberty; however, I would urge the president to increase initiatives for hiring veterans and also increase programs for veterans health-care and disability benefits.”

Matthew GorneySecretary-TreasurerUniversity of Kansas School of Law

“I would urge the president to call for an end to cutbacks in the judicial system at both the federal and state level because financial concerns are forcing our nation’s courts to choose between dispensing justice in a timely fashion and keeping the doors open.”

11th Circuit

Michael Andry11th Circuit GovernorHoward University School of Law

“I would ask the president to consider restructuring the Home Affordable Refinance Program. This program’s guidelines and safeguards are considerably less stringent than are necessary to revitalize the housing sector. Clearer guidelines, deeper financial background checks, and lower debt-to-equity ratios are needed to retard the fiscal hemorrhage this program has become.”

12th Circuit

Brian V. Church12th Circuit GovernorUniversity of Idaho College of Law

“I would ask the next president of the United States to speak in favor of states implementing voter identification measures.”

Adena LeibmanChairLewis & Clark Law School

“I would ask the president to reaffirm the government’s dedication to environmental justice, emphasizing community empowerment and equity.”

13th Circuit

Braxton Bragg13th Circuit GovernorTexas Wesleyan University School of Law

“Primary and secondary public education in the United States. NCES’s [National Center for Education Statistics] latest data shows nine states with overall dropout rates of 5 percent or higher for 9th- to 12th-graders. Access to high-quality public education should be available to everyone and should not be determined by factors such as the local tax base.”

Nick GuinnVice Chair-SBASt. Mary’s University School of Law

“I would like to observe further decrease in our dependence on foreign oil. Our economy and the environment will benefit as the United States takes a stronger lead in pursuing alternative energies.”

“Law student loan debt has become a big problem as graduates struggle to find jobs after graduation. I would urge the president to consider pressuring schools to cap their tuition prices, to implement stricter standards for accrediting schools, and to limiting student enrollment to available jobs.”

15th Circuit

Lucas LaRose15th Circuit GovernorSandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University

“The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ mission is to provide resources to tribes and their members. The president should move the BIA to the State Department from where it’s located now, the Department of the Interior, because it specializes in working with people and their governments, not forests and fish.”